


The Butterfly Effect

by Lettuce_And_Teamwork



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Am I kicked out of the fandom yet?, Based off of Aladdin i suppose?, CiVillain Cameos, F/M, How do tags?, I Tried, Modern Fairytale AU, Plagg is a free genie in the form of a cat, Thief-turned-vigilante Marinette i suppose, Tikki is a genie, free scholarships in the form of sponsors, this was supposed to be an Aladdin AU but i kinda got carried away
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-01
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-04-29 07:19:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5119826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lettuce_And_Teamwork/pseuds/Lettuce_And_Teamwork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette, a girl who lost her parents in a fire and is only getting by by stealing only what she needs, wants to enter the fashon industry and become a famous fashion designer or a model. Adrien, a boy who for almost his entire life has been following a strict schedule and a predetermined destiny, wants to be free and to be himself for once. Seems like their dreams will never come true but fate had other plans. Enter the magic teapot, a mischievous "cat", a black ring, a red memento, challenges, and a lot of hard work.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Who ever said fairy tales and magic don't exist anymore?</p>
<p>(basically, ModernFairytaleAU loosely based off of Aladdin. A lot better than it sounds, hopefully.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bug Hunt

**Author's Note:**

> okay so uh, hello! i'm Lettuce-And-Teamwork, Lettie for short, this is actually the first fanfiction i wrote for Miraculous! and i look forward to any comments you have about my work as well as corrections. i'd very much appreciate it if you'd leave any constructive criticism and i'll do my best to update as often as i can since i need to take my studies seriously this trimester. Please be patient with me, i'm new to this thing...
> 
> On the other hand, me and a friend thought up this AU and it all started with Disney's Aladdin and a Ladybug marathon. i hope you enjoy it! I tried to make Lady's outfit look like something that seems well-worn or at least taken from a thrift shop. TRY being the keyword.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Edit: spacing. SPACING.)

          It was a lovely morning at Parsitonne, a bustling city filled with many people. The latest fashions being displayed across the boutiques, Mostly the Agreste Fashion Line; considered to be the most fashionable clothes there are. It's not surprising that the father would be a world-renowned designer and his teenage son be a model. In fact, they were practically considered royalty in the fashion industry. The salons were busy with their clients who demanded the latest fashion. The wet market was filled with people, hoping to get a good deal for whatever they needed or sold. People hurriedly walked to where they work, toting briefcases and paying very little attention to whatever went on other people's business. The delicious scent of pastries and food wafted about the dozens of bakeries lined up in a corner. Everyone was so busy and so lost in their lives that they barely noticed a girl steal a loaf of bread. That was what the police were there for, to arrest bread-stealing people.

 

          "After her!" the chief of police roars at his subordinates. The thief, clad in red and black, swiftly climbed up the buildings to avoid being caught. She held the loaf of bread in her black and red shoulder bag as to have both hands available for climbing. Despite the police chasing after her through the apartment building's staircases, she was a lot faster than they were and reached the roof way before they did. When they finally caught up to her, she was already on the other building, red and black spotted headscarf flapping in the wind. It masked almost all of her face but not her eyes. She wore black gloves and black boots that she stole a few days earlier since her old ones were too worn out. Her torso was covered in a red and black spotted long sleeved jacket and she wore red leggings. It certainly was a sight to see, she looked very strange and hard to miss. Despite that, she could manage to blend in a crowd with ease. She often did, given her unusual profession.

 

          "Given up, Officer Javert?" she taunted him from across the building. She smirked, knowing that the officers were probably annoyed or pissed off at the very least. If not, they were probably downright furious. The chief of police barked an order to his subordinates once more, probably an order to call for backup or to give chase. "You're going down this time, Ladybug!" He threatened the 17-year old, it might've looked funny if you forgot that said 17-year old was a master thief. "Hah! I'd like I see you try!" she yelled back at him, running towards the next building as the Chief followed his subordinates to the next few buildings. She took this opportunity to fall down the building and hide in the dark alley. She gracefully dropped down the clotheslines and landed on her feet with barely a hint of sound.

 

          "Sheesh, All this for some bread? You’d think it was Les Miserables or something..." she scoffed silently while hiding behind said dark alley. Footsteps ran past her as the Chief of police made his subordinates run to the next few buildings. While they did that, she changed into her "civilian" clothes. She removed the headscarf and tucked it inside her shoulder bag, exposing her two ponytails tied up with red bands as well as her earrings, the only reminder of the family she had lost. She removed her gloves and shoved it inside the bag, minding the bread she took earlier. She unzipped her jacket, flipped it so that the fuzzy inside was showing, and tied it around her waist, exposing the brown and white long sleeved t-shirt she always wore. As for the boots and leggings, she let them be. After all, most people wear leggings in Parsitonne plus the boots were in-season. As for the bag, it was a surprisingly common design. Nobody would really think twice when approaching this seemingly average teenager. She hesitantly went out to look if the coast was clear. There were no cops around so she zipped her bag and walked casually across the street.

 

          She managed to reach her, albeit temporary, hideout, the alley of an abandoned building's apartment. There wasn't any electricity or water so she often had to make-do with tap water from the park or any local faucet as well as a restroom with showers in it and she didn't keep any electronic devices. She had an old makeshift bed out of whatever mattress, curtains, and cushions she could find. It was actually starting to smell, indicating that she probably needed to move away from the hideout of 3 months. Occasionally, when she'd meet her childhood friend, Alya, around the streets, she would ask to sleepover for a day or two and nothing more; Alya lets her, of course, provided that she helps clean the apartment. She occasionally steals or buys some essentials and clothes so she wouldn't have to keep washing everything she owned every single day. "I'm back." she said to no one in particular. She sat down and halved the bread, saving it for later. She began to eat her breakfast, if it could even be called that.

 

          Marinette Dupain-Cheng was left to her own thoughts. Despite everything she's been through, she wanted a shot at becoming a fashion designer. It was a silly idea, she repeated to herself daily, and yet she finds herself staring at the displays on boutiques and watching fashion shows whenever she could catch them on those televisions in the electronics shop's display window, gazing in awe and admiration at the dozens of well-dressed models on the screen. There's another reason as to why she wanted to become a fashion designer. She had a hopeless crush on a well-known Adrien Agreste. It made her blush just thinking about him. Thinking about his windswept blonde hair, his slightly tan figure, and his lovely green eyes was enough to make her bury her hands in her face and squeal. She sighed in sadness at this hopeless crush, knowing that it probably won't be reciprocated.

 

          "Miss Chloe, look over here! Please!" "Miss Chloe is it true that-" "Miss Chloe, can I have your autograph?!" "Miss Chloe, Smile for the camera!"

 

          Marinette's head perked up at the sudden noise of paparazzi and camera flashes. She exited her hideout to see what the fuss was all about, making herself look presentable in the process. She smoothed up her shirt and brushed the remaining crumbs off her jacket and her leggings. She tapped a local reporter's shoulder. "Excuse me, sir? Could you tell me what's going on?" she asked, to the annoyance of said reporter. "Listen. I've got a big scoop waiting for me so listen up. The girl you see there-" pointing at a blonde bombshell being swamped by paparazzi while her assistant tried to keep them away. "- is Chloe Bourgeois, one of the most famous part-time models there are. Rumour is, she's engaged to the 'prince of fashion' himself." He said briskly, really in a hurry. "Adrien Agreste?" she asked in shock. "Yep. and I'm going to get that scoop, rain or shine! If my name isn't Theo!" he declared, rushing into the crowd. "Oh uh, thanks!" Marinette yelled, waving at the reporter who didn't hear her and was too busy asking questions to the part-time model.

 

          She began to leave and soon, her attention was directed to a guy who looked like he was in deep, deep trouble with the law.


	2. Out of the Bag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I... I honestly don't know what to say. Suppose I should start off with a thank you to everyone who's taken the time to at least browse this work of mine, I really do appreciate it! i'd also like to know if i get a little OOC with some of them or if i mad a mistake in the details. I'll try my best to update at least once a week, with the exception of next week due to a lot of quizzes and Christmas shopping to do plus visits to relatives. So since I won't be able to do so, I'll put up this chapter in advanced.
> 
>  
> 
> So, without further ado, Chapter 2.
> 
> (Ps. Just consider Adrien's birthday in here falling on a Saturday/Sunday.)  
> (Edit:still getting the hang of the entire thing, mind you...)

          Adrien Agreste sighed to himself as his personal tutor droned on and on about Marie-Antoinette or some other French royalty since he missed last week's history classes, an average weekend to him. He let his thoughts wander while looking out the window. The clouds were wispy today, like a bunch of misplaced frosting on a sky-blue cake. Hah, fitting since it was his birthday today. He barely even got a present from his dad or a greeting from Natalie, his Father's secretary and a stand-in Mother figure to him although they don't talk much when it comes to personal matters. It was a sad but true fact about his life.

 

          Despite his advertised glamorous lifestyle, it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Sure, he's popular and everyone's talking about how good he looks or how he gets good grades because his dad is famous or how envious they are of him. Truth is, It's been like this all his life. He doesn't have many friends, just Nino, Chloe, and his black cat. Speaking of said black cat, Plagg was doing his best to annoy the living hell out of Adrien's tutor. Plagg was biting and clawing at the loose sleeves that dangled whenever the tutor would move her arms. It was amusing to see the cat chase after the sleeves while the professor motioned garishly. When the professor swished her arms out of the table, Plagg followed and jumped out the table; messing up the papers and books on the desk. He yowled loudly before rapidly falling to the ground, making Adrien snicker at the tutor's expense. "Mr.Agreste, I am not paid to babysit your cat while you nod off to my lessons." She began to lecture him as the cat purred against her leg, as if apologizing. She glared down at the black cat while Adrien sighed.

 

          "Sorry, Miss Selina I'm just... Not into it today." He muttered, trying not to let his disappointment show. His tutor was fixing the books and papers that were scattered from earlier. "Penny for your thoughts, Agreste?" She asked, shooing the cat from the pile of papers on the ground while gathering them up.

 

          "See…. it's sort of my birthday an-"

 

          "Today was your birthday?! Well, why didn't you say so?" She asked him, so shocked she almost dropped the papers and books she was carrying. "Yeah, I...I don't like mentioning it..." He mumbled shyly, scratching his hair nervously. "Well then, I suppose you're going to have a party after this?" She asked, looking up at the clock that was saying it was 40 minutes before time. "I don't think so. I'm pretty much free today though so THAT’s a relief. Don’t get a lot of rest or free time in the fashion business and all…" He admitted, straightening up as Plagg jumped on his lap. He began to absentmindedly pet the black cat while said cat began to purr.

 

          “Hm... Alright then, you’re dismissed. I’ll tell your father that something came up and I had to leave.” She decided, leaving the papers under a paperweight before collecting the books. “Wh-what? But it isn’t even 10:30 yet!” Adrien argued, not because he wanted to study but because his tutor might get in trouble. “You might not even get paid, you know…” He added, making his tutor wave off the comment without hesitation. “Consider it my gift to you, Adrien, since I didn't get you a proper one. With your profession taking too much of time, I have a feeling you’ll need it. Time is a very precious gift, treasure it well.” She remarked, putting all of the books on the desk. “I will! Thank you, Miss Selina.” He thanked her, still in disbelief and not believing his luck. “Don’t mention it. Please.” She whispered, winking as she waved farewell. As Adrien left the room, she turned to face the cat who was poised on top of Adrien's work desk.

 

          “Now, I suppose you want out, too?” She asked dryly, glaring at the little devil of a cat. He merely meowed in response.

 

          Adrien sneakily rushed out of his gigantic house, more of a mansion really, through the backdoor. He kept a change of clothes inside his backpack, knowing that he’d need it if he was ever going to escape the paparazzi that were always waiting outside his house. Not to mention, the staff that always seemed to find him whenever he tries to escape.

 

          He removed the white shirt he normally wore and stuffed it inside his bag, pulling out a black shirt with neon-green paw prints as a design in exchange. He pulled it over his head and took out a high-quality blonde wig, just like his hair but a little longer and a lot wilder. It was mostly due to the bag. He exchanged his shoes with black boots and put a ridiculous-looking pair of black cat ears on top of the wig. He put on a pair of colored contact lenses, colored the same neon green as the designs on his shirt. For good measure, he took a contact lens case and put on the neon-green contacts.

 

          He looked almost unrecognizable at this point. Then again, models don’t exactly wear clothes that look like they were sold in an Anime Convention. At least, they weren’t caught wearing them. It was the perfect disguise. “Well, almost…” he thought to himself while looking at the nearest pile of dirt in his backyard. He took some dirt and lightly dusted himself with it, grimacing at the unfamiliar feel of dirt on his face. Once he was done, he climbed on the tree that grew above the walls of his house. He’ll figure out a way to come back later, right now all he wanted was to explore the city without any attention drawn to him.

 

          He silently dropped down from the brick wall and began to nonchalantly walk across the street and away from the mansion he calls a home. He really didn’t care where he’ll end up, he just wanted to explore the place he calls home.

 

          He honestly just wanted to get away from it all.

 

          So then he was just casually strolling around the streets when suddenly, a stranger ran past him and dropped a black ring on the ground. He, simply astounded, held the ring in his hand and waved to the guy who was running away as fast as he could. “Hey, Sir! You dropped your ring!” Adrien yelled at the guy, who slowly disappeared from sight. He shrugged and looked at the ring; it seemed like it was worth something despite its plain-looking exterior.

 

          He perked up once he heard a lot of footsteps coming from behind him. He turned around and saw some local cops staring at him and turning their gaze at the ring he was holding. “There’s the thief! After him!” The cops’ leader, who seems to be Chloe’s Friend’s dad, yelled while his subordinates followed the order. “a-ah w-wait, y-you seem to have the w-wrong guy…” he began to reason while slowly backing away. His words fell on deaf ears as the officers quickened their pace.  He then proceeded to look absolutely terrified before doing what most suspicious-looking teenagers in black would do.

 

          He ran.


	3. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you ever have those weeks at school when you have around like, 8 tests and 2 projects in one week and half of them are long tests so you don't have any time to write? Because that was my entire week so this chapter is really REALLY late. I apologize for that.

 

          The guy from across the street was being chased by a mob of cops. Marinette almost wanted to run away and not get involved. Lucky for the guy, she had a conscience. Not to mention, a good disguise as well. Thinking quickly, she ran ahead and hid in a dark alley. She swiftly put on her “Ladybug” attire and made sure that her headscarf was on tight and not able to show her face. Zipping her shoulder bag, she ran to the other side of the street and ran towards the guy.

 

          Adrien was running as fast as he could but despite all his athletic abilities and fencing training, he knew he would have to stop one way or another. Besides, he can’t keep running forever. Just as he began to slow down, somebody picked him up bridal-style and taking him by surprise. This may be Parsitonne but it’s not every day that somebody picks you up bridal-style and helps you escape the police. “What is this, some kind of Shoujo Anime?” He thought to himself as he looked up at his savior.

 

          He was half-expecting a handsome man in a black tux, a top hat, a red cape, and a white mask throwing roses at the cops. What he got, however, was a whole lot better.

 

          From what he could see, his savior had beautiful sky-blue eyes, raven hair, and a determined look to her as she stared at the cops, making sure that they were at an appropriate distance away. She taunted them with a voice that seemed to be from the angels themselves. He could hear her clearly despite that headscarf she was wearing. Despite the height difference they shared, she was able to carry him with ease. She stared back at him, making his heart skip a beat and turning his face a light shade of pink. He stared at her, flabbergasted, not noticing that she was speaking to him until the last word.

 

          “….eal?”

 

          The only noise he could utter was a very soft “meep”, making the girl sigh in exasperation. “What did you steal?!” She asked again, obviously a little miffed and tired. “I-I didn’t s-steal anything, My Lady…” He managed to stutter out. He reflected upon those words and retraced his steps. He didn’t steal anything as far as he knew.

 

           Marinette sighed and nearly dropped him. “ _Of all the people I save from getting their ass handed to them by the cops, it had to be the Cassanova-Wannabe…_ ” She thought to herself as she turned around a corner. “Well, Kitty? You better hurry. I’m getting tired and I might just drop you here instead of helping you out.” She teased him, raising an eyebrow. She was half-telling the truth, though. Her arms were getting tired and she could hardly keep up the chase with twice the weight holding her down.

 

           Adrien perked up suddenly, remembering what happened before the cops began to chase him. “Well, I DID pick up a ring on the ground that somebody dropped…” He said, making sure that the girl holding him heard. She began to look around, probably making a plan. She faced him again and asked if he could run for a while now that he’s rested. He nodded, prompting the girl to count backwards. Once she hit one, he sprung up and began to run at her pace.

 

           Marinette spotted a key ring on the ground, about 7 feet away and glinting in the sunlight, and began thinking how it would make a good decoy ring. “You go on ahead, Kitty. I’ll catch up!” She yelled at him as the guy nodded in acknowledgement and ran faster. She picked it up while she ran, smirking as a plan formulated in her head. She looked back towards the cops and to the ring on her hand. “ _Here goes nothing…_ ” She thought to herself as she glanced back.

 

           Thankfully, the path they were going on was uphill. “Hey, Cops! You want the ring back?” She taunted, making the cops run faster. “ _Better aim this right…._ ” She thought to herself, minding the light post she almost ran into. “Well, you can have it!” She yelled, tossing the ring, making it arch over the officers and roll down the hill they were on. The officers chased after the fake ring while she ran faster to catch up with the guy from earlier.

 

           Adrien was catching his breath when the girl suddenly grabbed his hand and ran to the nearest dark alleyway. They ran and she tossed him behind a nearby garbage can. It was painful, not bruising however, but as he almost yelled, she put her finger to where her lips must be as a signal to keep quiet. He nodded quietly, despite the growing pain on his ass, and watched her as she laid flat against the opposite wall. They held in their breaths as footsteps ran past them. After a few seconds in silence, she dared to peek out and exhaled in relief when she saw that all the cops were gone. He did the same.

 

           “That was…. Amazing…” He exhaled, still feeling incredibly giddy and ecstatic from the chase. “Thank you.” He said, still a little breathless from the chase, turning towards the girl who saved him. His mystery lady began to leave him, walking up the emergency exit staircases. “W-Wait, where are you going?” He asked, scrambling up the stairs. “My job here is done. You’re on your own now.” She said curtly, putting on her black gloves and preparing to climb the bricks to the building’s roof.

 

           “Wait. By job do you mean-”

 

           “No, I wasn’t hired.”

 

           “ _That’s a relief…_ ” He thought to himself, sighing in relief. He thought his cover was blown. He didn’t want to see the look of disapproval on his father’s face, much less looking forward to the scolding and punishments he has to endure. Most of those punishments were extra modeling jobs and he did not need that kind of stress in his life right now.

 

           “I thought tha-”

 

           “Well, you thought wrong. I don’t work for anyone.” Marinette replied, getting a firm grip on the brick wall. “ _At least, not anymore…_ ” she thought to herself, suddenly remembering the times she would go down and help her dad bake sweets. She remembered the scent of freshly baked bread and the taste of chocolate chips. A tear streaked down her face, which she hastily wiped away with her scarf. She began to climb the wall, making sure both her feet and hands have a firm grip on it.

 

           Adrien ran up the metal stairs, looking up and seeing the girl beginning to climb the building. He held his breath and quietly walked up to the last platform. Once the girl was hanging on the ledge and began to pull herself up did he let out the breath he was holding. He stared at the wall and then up to at the building’s rooftop. “ _Well, worth a shot. How hard could it be?_ ” He reasoned with himself as he began to try and climb the brick wall from the last metal platform of the emergency exit.

 

           It wasn’t hard but it was a lot more difficult than climbing a rough rocky terrain. There weren’t many openings and the few that were leave little space to hold on to. It was really different from the rock climbing wall he had back home. “ _Good thing I convinced father to let me take rock climbing lessons. Seems like my persistence finally paid off._ ” He thought to himself while heaving himself up. He was up to the roof’s ledge when he began to slip.

 

           “H-HELP!”

 

           He could see his life flashing before his eyes. Frankly, it was a boring life, a sad one, too. Not his greatest achievement. He could almost imagine tomorrow’s headlines. “ _MODEL, FOUND DEAD IN ALLEY WITH A COSPLAY GETUP. FASHION MURDER OR FASHION SUICIDE?_ ” It would’ve read. He could almost hear his father shaking his head in disapproval.

 

           Marinette grabbed the guy’s arm just in time. A second less and he would’ve fallen. It’s not lethal, the staircase would’ve broken the fall, and he would’ve gotten away with a dark bruise. Perhaps a fracture if he wasn’t well-protected. She could hear the guy sigh in relief. She peeked down to see if he was still okay and he looked right back up at her.

 

           “On the count of three, you climb.” She ordered, preparing to pull the guy up by holding his arm with both hands. The guy nodded and she began to count. Once she hit one, she began pulling him up the roof while he climbed up. She was pretty sure she pulled him up with a lot more force than required and he ended up on top of her. Thankfully, her scarf stayed on.

 

           “Ehe…. Sorry?” Adrien apologized, smiling apologetically. “Off. Now.” Marinette replied, looking absolutely done. He stood up and quickly stepped away from the ledge. She stood up and dusted herself off before facing him. “Didn’t I tell you to leave?” She questioned him; a little annoyed but wondered how the conversation will go. “Well, technically, you told me that I’m on my own now.” He began to reason as she motioned him to go on after a few moments of nothing but beeping cars and the wind. “So since I’m on my own, I make my decisions. Then I decided to follow you.” He finished, smiling triumphantly.

 

           She looked at him suspiciously and raised an eyebrow. “Why on earth would you follow me? Don’t you know it’s dangerous to start climbing buildings without any experience?” She asked, crossing her arms. “Well, you saved my life and I don’t even know your name.” He explained, clear and simple. Marinette was slightly taken aback by his reply. “Is my name really that important to you?” She asked Adrien, who only rolled his eyes in return.

 

           “I can’t exactly say ‘oh thank you beautiful and mysterious lady who saved my life twice. You have earned my eternal gratitude. You must be a goddess!’ without making a fool out of myself, now can I?” He retorted in good cheer, mocking his choice words to compliment said beautiful and mysterious lady while making slightly exaggerated actions. “Actually, you kind of just did.” She snickered, holding up a hand to where her mouth was. “I-I was making an example! That doesn’t count!” He tried to justify, only making the thief laugh harder. “Sure it doesn’t, kitty.” She managed to spit out in-between peals of laughter. He stared at her, noting how nice her laughter sounded, and let out a soft laugh as well.

 

           In his defense, her laughter was contagious and he totally wasn’t crushing on her. Nope. Nu uh.

 

           Once she was done laughing and caught her breath, he moved in to ask what he came here for. “As I was asking… what’s your name?” He asked shyly, scratching the back of his neck. She struck a pose that made her look like she was thinking deeply. “Do you really want to know?” She asked after a long period of silence, he replied with a nod so enthusiastic his cat ears and wig almost fell off.

 

           “My name is Ladybug.” She replied curtly, remembering the nickname the police came up with whenever they were trying to catch her. She turned her back towards him and prepared to jump towards the next building. “I’ll see you around, Chat Noir.” She said, glancing back at the stray cat that seemed to have followed her. “Try not to get the police on your tail; I might not be there to save you again.” She added with a smirk that showed briefly through her scarf. “Will do, My Lady” He replied, winking before bowing deeply. She rolled her eyes as she ran and jumped to the next building, gracefully landing on top before jumping on to the building after that.

 

           Adrien kept on staring at her until she disappeared from his sight. He felt sad when they parted but felt deep down inside that it won’t be the last time they’ll ever meet.


	4. Crush(ed)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert chloe laugh here*Oho ho ho!! Merry Christmas!!
> 
> so i'm posting this early just in case i have no spare time to write or update since finals week is coming up. think of it as an early Christmas thing. Short chapter though so... happy holidays?

          Adrien was staring at his phone. It’s been a while since he got down from the apartment-building he climbed. He had to use the metal stairs since the rooftop was locked. Not to mention, going that way would’ve blown his cover. He’s been standing under a park tree for the past 20 minutes, deciding wether he should call his best bro or not. He took a deep breath as he finally decided but hesitated a bit when he pulled out his phone.

 

           “ _Enough stalling just call him already, you doofus_ ” He chided himself silently, scrolling to Nino’s phone number. He raised his phone to his ear and softly muttered “Pick up. Please, please, please pick up…” while the dialing tone began to play.

 

          “Adrien?” Nino asked through the phone, hearing his bro sigh in relief.

 

          “Hello? Nino? I have a really strange request.” Adrien confided in Nino, a little nervous but otherwise pretty calm. “What is it this time, Bro?” He asked in return. Adrien could almost picture Nino leaning on his computer desk, smiling in amusement. Adrien breathed deeply before letting out the weirdest sentence he’s ever said in his life.

 

          “I need you to pick me up at the park, drive me to the police office, then back to my house’s back door and help me sneak back inside without the paparazzi noticing.” There was nothing but silence for a few minutes or so. Nino was probably staring at his phone in confusion. “ _I knew I shouldn’t have asked him but… who else was I supposed to call?_ ” Adrien thought to himself, still nervous about Nino’s reply.

 

          “…Excuse me?” Nino replied, making Adrien sigh in relief. “You heard me right the first time. Please? You’re the only one I could trust with this. I can’t exactly call Chloe, she’ll lecture me or cling on to me for the entire ride.” He answered while his heart slowly calming down. There was a short pause before Nino replied. “You DO have a point… Sounds fun, I’m in.” he declared as a jingle of keys and a bag being dragged could be heard from the speaker. “Great!” Adrien exclaimed, walking out of the shade and into the sun. A few people stared at him but he was used to that sort of spectacle.

 

          “Just a warning before you go, I’m wearing something… unorthodox.” He added before Nino dropped off the call. “It’s the cat ears again, isn’t it?” Nino quipped knowingly, stifling giggles.

 

          “…Maybe?”

 

          “Riiiight, I’ll pick you up near the fountain. Meet me there.” Nino drawled as Adrien walked to the fountain in the middle of the park. He thanked Nino before dropping the call and sat on one of the benches near the fountain. He was staring at a guy feeding pigeons before a shadow fell upon him. He looked up to see a very welcome sight.

 

          “Yo.” Nino smiled, looking down at Adrien, who was sitting down on a bench, and trying hard not to laugh at his friend’s getup. “So this is what you meant by unorthodox, huh?” He asked, helping Adrien up from the bench. “I swear, if you mention this to Chloe or Natalie, I’m going to kill you.” Adrien joked, nudging Nino’s shoulder while they laughed. “I was actually planning on visiting you later, birthday and all.” He trailed off as they walked to his car, which was near the park.

 

          “Is it okay if I change in here?” Adrien asked, holding up his backpack. “Be my guest.” Nino replied, starting up the engine while Adrien removed his wig and his shirt. He put on his slightly rumpled white shirt and zipped up his backpack after stuffing the unorthodox disguise inside it.

 

          When they hit traffic, Nino took this opportune moment to get some answers out of his best friend. "I don't suppose you've found someone to replace Chloe, did you?" He suddenly asked as Adrien glanced away from the window to look at him. "What makes you say that?" He questioned in reply, raising an eyebrow. "Your eyes are all half-lidded and you get that absolutely ridiculous lopsided smile on your face" Nino answered truthfully while Adrien looked flabbergasted.

 

          "I do not!"

 

          "Sure, you don’t.” Nino replied sarcastically while rolling his eyes. He returned to focusing on the road before the stoplight went red, giving him some more time to talk. “So, tell me what happened." He requested, adjusting the back mirror so he could see whatever’s going on in the back without having to turn back every 3 seconds or so.

 

          "Okay so uh... I met this girl…" Adrien began before looking absolutely embarrassed. He was beginning to turn a nice shade of pink, from what Nino could see. "Is met really the proper word?" Nino asked, half-sarcastically while driving on and taking a turn. Adrien didn’t exactly pick up on the sarcasm.

 

          "…Okay so this girl saved me from getting my ass handed to the cops in the most shoujo anime way possible."Adrien answered to the sarcastic question. Nino almost forgot to slam down the brakes when the next light hit red; partially because of the ridiculous sentence and partially because Adrien didn’t pick up his sarcastic quips, a bad sign indeed. “ _Or a good sign, depending on the situation…_ ” Nino mused silently to himself, thinking about Adrien’s current ‘girlfriend’.

 

          "Y-You're kidding me, right? Right??” Nino asked in disbelief while Adrien shook his head. “Bro, would I lie to you?” He asked rhetorically while Nino sighed in defeat. “…Fair point. What did you even do?" He asked again, really wondering what this mystery lady did. "I swear, I didn't do anything! Some guy just dropped this ring-" He said, holding up the black ring. "- and I picked it up then the cops started chasing after me. She noticed I was in trouble and began to carry me bridal style when I was almost out of energy though that was probably a coincidence." He explained in excitement before taking a gulp of air.

 

"And...?" Nino asked, prompting him to continue.

 

          "And we hid from the cops. She went up this fire exit of a building and began rock climbing to the top of the building. So then I followed after her and it was a little difficult, to be honest. So then we talked on the roof a bit and I made her laugh and....it was the most beautiful thing I've ever heard." He sighed, lopsided grin and half-lidded eyes returning. "Shit man, you've got it good.” Nino replied, a little unsure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. “What did she look like?" He asked the guy who was twiddling his thumbs in the backseat.

 

          "Well, she wore a scarf wrapped around her head and face. She had a spotted jacket, brown leggings, and a palette of red and black in general." Adrien recalled, remembering how she looked like when she was carrying him. “Also, she had really blue eyes.” He added, smiling at the memory. "Good thing Chloe's not here. She'd freak when she hears you've got a crush on this girl." Nino replied, chuckling at the thought of Chloe with the most horrified expression on her face. "For you information, she's a Lady; with a capital L. Besides, it's not like I'll lay up all night thinking about her." He scoffed, crossing his arms and looking out the window as the sun began to set and rain clouds started to appear.

 

          "I'm screwed." Adrien Agreste muttered under his breath, lying awake at 3:30 in the morning while thinking about Ladybug and the girl behind the mysterious figure. He subconsciously fondled the black ring he supposedly stole and eventually bought from the owner. As he closed his eyes, He wished with all his might that they would meet again, once more. He didn't notice that a shooting star streaked across the sky and blinked out of sight as he slowly struggled off to sleep.

 

          Plagg, on the other hand, was silently raiding the gigantic pantry for cheese as his usually yellow eyes gently glowed green amidst the darkness. It would seem quite magical, had anyone actually caught him in the act.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anybody wants to know how they got in, it was a very complex plan that had to do with distracting the paparazzi with photoshoot pictures, Nino having admirable strength, Rock climbing skills, Cheerleading moves, concentration, wishful thinking, perfect timing, and Adrien’s really uncanny ability to balance properly on a ledge.


	5. It’s Not Thievery If It Belonged to No one In The First Place

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betcha thought you've seen the last of me? nope. finals week was extended but it's christmas vacation. it's raining a lot from where i am, not that i dont like it.
> 
> The plot thickens. Also i havent written in a week, i feel so rusty... anyways i feel generous. mostly because i have free time and i drank WAY too many orange juice... so yeah, if anybody wants to say anything, write down in the comments section below.

          Marinette returned to her hideout at around early sunset, when the sun was still a little overhead and the rainclouds weren’t as many, and carefully packed up what little belongings she had in her shoulder bag, roomy after selling the items she managed to steal. Her usually light bag felt a little heavier which makes sense considering that she didn’t keep a lot of things and always moved at the end of every other month. She left without a word and began to search around the town.

 

          Dusk was beginning to set in and she’s almost at her wit’s end, every other alley’s either uninhabitable or occupied. The sky was a gloomy shade of orange, meaning a storm’s coming soon. “ _Desperate times call for desperate measures …_ ” She thought to herself as she began to leave the town and headed to the nearby woods that lead to the old houses, which weren’t destroyed due to the Mayor’s rumored renovation project. She supposed a cave or an abandoned and possibly haunted house was better than nothing. Besides, she might find something to sell when she returns to town, maybe even enough to afford a night or two at an apartment or hotel.

 

          She rummaged through her bag and took out a flashlight she stole a few weeks ago, along with fresh batteries. She switched it on as she searched for a shelter. There weren’t any foxes or wolves in the old village but with it starting to darken, a shelter would be nice. She followed a path of uneven yellow brick to an unfamiliar silent and abandoned town. The remains of the old historical village, some were even rumored to be the houses of witches. She removed her headscarf and huddled it around herself, as if wearing a hood, as mist slowly began to settle in.

 

          She ended upon a house at the edge of said town. It was different from the other houses and seemed to beckon her. It looked haunting but it was the best she could do in current circumstances. She put the flashlight on her ear to prop it up as she rummaged through her bag to get a hairpin or a paperclip to pick the old-fashioned lock with.

 

          Once she managed to open the door, she entered and gawked a bit at the surprisingly large house. It was like one of those old French chateaus she once saw in her old history textbooks, old and very beautiful. Sure, there were a couple of spider webs and there’s dust everywhere but considering that there hasn’t been anybody living in the place, it’s not too shabby. Not to mention, it looked a lot smaller outside. “ _It was probably just the fog._ ” Marinette decided, walking inside and closing the door behind her with a creek.

 

          She removed the flashlight from her ear and began to look around the house for a room she could stay in for the night. Secretly, she hoped there were no ghosts. She also hoped there were no monsters as well. She didn’t want to die just yet.

 

          She walked up to the attic by using the creaking stairs and ended up on a room full of trinkets everywhere, some covered by a white blanket. “Woah…” She gasped out loud at the sight of the attic. “ _There must be something in there that costs a pretty penny. Wouldn’t hurt to check… Besides, who would care for an object that’s been abandoned?_ ” Marinette rationalized her thievery as she approached the room.

 

          She looked around in awe and wonder at the antiques inside the room. There were some tables and chair but those were too heavy to carry away. She carefully lifted up the blanket on top of a lumpy-looking table and uncovered a lot of bottles as well as a couple small trinkets. She smiled at the multitude of rings, bracelets and necklaces but something else distracted her from the allure of them.

 

          She turned to a cabinet that held a lot of antique china. In the middle of the cabinet’s display was a quaint silver tea or coffee pot. She didn’t know how to describe it but it looked very much like an old-fashioned gas lamp with a handle and a spout. It had a pear shaped body and had roses engraved on it; not to mention, it was made out of silver as well.

 

          “Pretty…” She muttered softly, enchanted by the pot. It seemed to beckon to her from the cabinet. She quickly walked up to it and opened the unlocked cabinet. She took the teapot down and examined it. On the bottom was an engraving in French.

 

          “ _ **Only those in need shall find me, only those who are worthy may use me.**_ ”

 

          “Huh, wonder what that means…” She thought to herself silently as she gently placed the teapot on a solid surface. She locked up the cabinet and left it as it was before, for fear that somebody might actually come along. She didn’t know why she took it exactly; it was probably because it looked costly. She rummaged through the cabinet’s drawers and took whatever trinket she deemed was at least worth something and stuffed it into the spare spaces inside her bag. Even if nobody was there, she only took what she deemed was enough to last her a month.

 

          As she was zipping up her bag she heard footsteps coming up from the ground floor. Marinette looked around for a way to escape the place, staring at a distant window. She hurriedly took the pot and silently tiptoed towards the window. She felt thankful for the minimum light as she hurriedly unlatched the window’s lock. Before the person or people could walk up, she was already dangling from the ledge.

 

          She didn’t dare sigh in relief but instead did her best to climb down as fast as she could before somebody closed the window she opened. She hurriedly jumped down from the house with a soft thud and began running towards the town.

 

          “ _Maybe… Maybe I’ll just find another place tomorrow._ ” She decided as she slowly collapsed on her smelly makeshift shelter as the rain poured down. She huddled on a pile of unwashed blankets and covers on top of the uncomfortable mattress, freezing to the bone as she held the teapot. She unconsciously hunched her cold body around it, which was strangely warm to the touch. It seems as if she claimed it as her very own or as if the teapot claimed her as its own.

 

          It began to radiate a deep and vibrant scarlet, hidden from prying eyes by the multitude of blankets on its owner’s body and the rain on this dark moonless night. If anyone saw it however, they would swear it was magic.


	6. A Date With Royalty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may have made Chloe a little ooc. i may have made Adrien a little ooc. this is part filler chapter. also, i don't own Miraculous! as well as any other franchises i have referenced in this fanfic.

 

          "Adrikins, you look like a mess!" Chloe, his incredibly clingy girlfriend and childhood friend, exclaimed in shock and pity while staring at his sorry state. It was true, though. He didn't get any sleep at night. Try as he might, he ended up waking in the middle of the night and his cat scratched when he tried to pet him. Thankfully, there were no visible scars but he did have the beginning of dark circles under his eyes. His father and photographer would have a fit if they saw him in this sorry state. Right now, he was crouching on his Sherlock Holmes-esque chair and cradling a cup of coffee. Mess is an understatement. Blond gorilla looking disdainfully at the cup he's holding while draped in a blanket was more like it.

         

          "Couldn't get a wink of sleep last night..." he muttered under his breath while staring at his cup of espresso, a drink that his older brother often drank when he had to pull off several all-nighters in a row. Though to be fair, Felix often conked out on the room's expensive folding couch afterwards while muttering something about exam week being the bane of his existence. He took a tentative sip, cringing at the taste of the bitter liquid. " _How did Felix even handle this?!_ " he thought to himself while glaring at the drink. Chloe let out a slightly unladylike and undignified snort.

 

          "You look like you saw your dad make out with Natalie on the countertop." she snickered, prompting Adrien to look more horrified than before. Chloe laughed while Adrien shivered in terror. "Okay, I don't think I'll be needing any more espresso after that... That horrifying image..." he shuddered, pushing the cup away. Plagg leaped onto the table and eyed the cup mischievously, he then stared innocently at his owner and said owner's girlfriend. Adrien and Chloe both froze in place, as if knowing exactly what the cat was planning.

 

          "Plagg. Plagg, step away from the cup." Adrien pleaded, staring at Plagg in the eye. "Don't you dare do it, Cat!" Chloe threatened lifting her designer canary yellow handbag, a present from her daddy. The cat stared back at the cup and swung a paw at the cup, teetering it over the edge. Adrien and Chloe held their breaths as it wobbled unsteadily and sighed in relief as it sat on the table. Plagg took this as a cue to push the cup off the table. It came careening down with a very audible crash.

 

          Adrien and Chloe stared at each other in shock, not believing the sight before their eyes.

 

          Plagg let out an innocent-sounding mew before jumping off the table and strutting towards the door. "Why you little-" Chloe exclaimed furiously as she abruptly stood up to chase after Plagg. The cat, on the other hand, looked positively delighted. If he was capable of speaking, he might've laughed like an evil villain in one of those cliche romance movies where the girl chained to the railroad while her boyfriend rescues her and then they go to kill the villain. This irritated Chloe more and prompted her to chase him around the entertainment room in her stiletto heels. She was surprisingly fast, considering that she was wearing what Adrien had dubbed "Tiny Foot Stilts". It was laughable, really. A fashionable girl in heels chasing after a black cat all over a room with very thick carpeting. Adrien was honestly impressed with her foot stilt skills. She could run a marathon and win with them on.

 

          After a few minutes of futile chasing, a few broken vases, and a scolding from Natalie later, Chloe sat back down on the couch adjacent to the chair. "Hey, you look like you need a break. I mean I know it was your birthday yesterday and all but you need some sleep." Chloe decided, pulling out her cell phone and squinted her eyes in concentration while scrolling through her contacts. She let out a sound of triumph when she finally found the number she was looking for. "W-wait!" Adrien exclaimed, flailing his arms a bit in panic. Chloe raised an eyebrow as her delicately manicured finger hovered over the call button.

 

          "What? Should-Should I just let you stress yourself out or..?" Chloe trailed off as Adrien shook his head from side to side. "No!" He blurted out so suddenly, Chloe was caught off guard and almost dropped her phone. She almost chipped a nail in the process. Adrien took a deep breath and apologized. He began to explain why he didn’t want Chloe to call his father.

 

          "No, it's just... I didn't do any work at all yesterday and father would definitely blow a gasket-"

 

          "Blow a gasket? What are you, 40?" Chloe snidely scoffed in a playful manner. Adrien was too worried to notice her comment on his panic-addled speech.

 

          “-since I wasn't able to model and he's probably going to make me do three times the work tomorrow..." He finished, slowly muttering dark thoughts while Plagg jumped onto his lap. Chloe glared at the furry monstrosity with anger and possessiveness in her eyes. Adrien begin to absentmindedly pet the cat to calm himself down slowly, like he usually does when he’s close to panicking. Chloe promptly dropped the gaze, knowing that at least the cat’s helping Adrien.

 

          "Listen. Adrikins. Let Chloe, the master of persuasion handle this. He wouldn't know what hit him." She boasted in that condescending tone she usually reserved for people who didn’t know who she was and she wanted to sound better than she usually did. "Riiight... Somehow, I have a bad feeling about this..." He muttered while Plagg gazed intently at Chloe’s direction.

 

          "I can't believe it. You actually convinced him. How?!" Adrien asked, absolutely flabbergasted, while they were on the way to the spa on a not so inconspicuous limousine. "Magic." Chloe answered sarcastically, rolling her eyes as they passed the Arc de Triomphe.

 

          "Oh ha ha. Thanks." Arien replied, genuinely thankful. It’s been so long since he had a two-day vacation. Models don’t exactly get very much R&R with the paparazzi and constant gossip, especially one that’s been considered born into the industry. "No problem. I mean, we ARE using your credit card for this spa trip after all." She replied nonchalantly, looking at her very expensive watch. Adrien nodded and began to relax before realizing what she just said.

 

          "Wait-What?!" He exclaimed, sitting up abruptly and staring at her with saucer-wide eyes. "My services aren't cheap, you know?" She replied while admiring her nails. They had cute black and yellow designs on them, just like a bumblebee.

 

          "I knew there was a catch... somehow" Adrien sighed, reclining on the limo seat he was in. "Look on the bright side, you get to spend the entire day relaxing. And with _me_ , no less!" Chloe replied, winking while elbowing him lightly in a playful manner. He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "I see your point." He remarked while the limo slowly began to stop. "Oh, we're here!" Chloe exclaimed excitedly, clamoring to get out of the vehicle.

 

          As they entered, it came to Adrien that it wasn’t just a simple spa. It was probably going to cost him a pretty penny, maybe even five, just to come back here. It was obviously a very posh spa house; the walls were decorated with vines, there were at least a dozen bamboo plants around the place, the walls were painted a sophisticated but relaxing brown along with warm colors, and it gave off a very sophisticated air. He felt like he shouldn’t be here in the first place. He felt like trading anything to switch places with his father, most likely designing some dresses or suits for his next fashion show. He felt like he didn’t belong in this place, like he was a black tile in a line of white ones. His breathing began to quicken and he could feel his heart hammering against his chest.

 

          How he wished his cat was here to ease him out of the budding anxiety.

 

          "Excuse me?" Chloe asked the desk, very much confident as usual. The secretary ignored her as he typed a schedule on Microsoft Excel. Chloe began to look a little impatient and cleared her throat; the secretary looked up from his computer and looked ashamed. "Hello Ms.Bourgeois. Forgive my tardiness, I did not mean to offend you. The usual?" He asked bashfully, sweating a bit. Chloe glared at him before deciding that it probably wasn’t worth her time to ask her father to fire the poor sap. "Times two. My boyfriend's paying." She replied curtly, hearing the secretary sigh in relief when she didn’t pull out her phone.

 

          “I’m paying?! For THIS?!” Adrien exclaimed, voice cracking. He felt everyone’s eyes on him, even if only 4 people glanced towards his general direction. He wanted to hide in his jacket, a last-second addition to his outfit for not getting caught by the media or rabid fans, and never come out again. Like a turtle of some sort.

 

          “Forgive him. He’s… not used to this place.” Chloe replied, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Understood.” The secretary nodded, using his Bluetooth to call for assistance. “Sebastian? Angela? Ms. Bourgeois is here with her boyfriend. Be gentle with her companion, please.” He whispered into the microphone. “They’ll be here in a few minutes. Please, take a seat.” He offered, motioning to the very plush sofas. Chloe nodded in acknowledgement and grabbed Adrien before sitting down with him on one of them.

 

          Adrien was doing his best to not panic and to calm down. He ran an empty hand on the fuzzy sofa cover. “1…2…1…2…” He began thinking to himself, pacing his hand back and forth over the soft velvet. Chloe looked at him, obviously a little confused but wasn’t questioning her boyfriend’s mysterious ways of calming himself down. Within a few minutes, he lowered down his shoulders and sighed in relief. She smiled at him and he smiled back once he saw her.

 

          He really didn’t know why he was like that or why he does that, honestly. It makes him think that there’s probably something wrong with him. Sometimes, things are too intense or he just feels really nervous and wants to run away from the place as fast as he can but he’s frozen in place and-

 

          “ _Woah, bad thoughts. No._ ” He thought to himself as he began to ignore the sinking feeling inside his gut and began to look around for something to distract him. He began to focus on the details on the walls, noting how remotely Egyptian-looking it seemed despite the occasional splotch of red. “ _I thought red was a bad color in ancient Egypt…?_ ” He thought to himself, waving it off as probably aesthetics or artistic license.

 

          “Ah, there they are.” Chloe remarked, spotting the slim dark-haired man and the fair-haired lady from across the room. “You okay with being alone in a room?” She asked him, clearly a little worried for him given his penchant for panicking. “I think I’ll be just fine. Promise. I’ll call you when I find something upsetting, okay?” He reassured as Angela placed her hands on his shoulders. “…Okay.” Chloe replied, leaning in for a kiss. He rolled his eyes and kissed her cheek before she left with Sebastian to go relax in a separate room.

 

          “A-are you sure this is fine? I mean, you’re a girl and I’m a guy and this is going to be very awkward when I remove my clothes and I have to lie down on a table with nothing but a towe-” He rambled before Angela shushed him while they walked to the hot bath. “Calm down, sir. Is this your first time here?” Angela asked, trying to take his mind off of things. “Yes. Why? Is it-is it that obvious? Will it hurt?” He asked rapidly, nervous about the whole ordeal. “It certainly is. Don’t worry, you’re in good hands.” She reassured the neurotic teen.

 

          “You’re just going to take a calming bath and then I’ll escort you to the massage table. You can handle that, right?” She asked him while he nodded nervously. They entered the room, which was posh but not as posh as the entrance. The room was brown and white all over, save for a massage table and a very blue built-in tub. There was an open changing booth which had bathrobes hung inside it. “Uh, should I…?” Adrien asked while pointing to the booth, Angela nodded in reply.

 

          Once he changed into a bathrobe and Angela finished mixing the bath, he began to slowly calm down. The room was filled with a lavender-like scent, probably due to the bathwater and the fact that it was bubbling. He fought the urge to jump in the bath and making a huge mess as he walked towards it, hypnotized by the gentle purple hue. Adrien slipped off his fluffy bathrobe and slowly descended into the bath. It was pleasantly warm and the scent of lavender wasn’t too overwhelming. He suppressed the urge to moan. He was actually starting to enjoy himself in the spa. As Angela began preparing the oils to use for the massage, Adrien lost himself in his thoughts.

 

          He didn't hate Chloe, but he didn't like her in that was either. She was always just a friend to him. Sure, she acts like a bit of a brat sometimes but he supposes it’s because she doesn’t want to get attached to people. She may be cruel but she isn’t completely heartless. He didn’t even know why they were boyfriend and girlfriend in the first place. It sort of just happened. One day she asked him to go with her to an amusement park and the media caught them, one thing led to another and the entire town thinks they’re dating. It was kind of bothersome and he's sure his father doesn’t like the fact that they’re dating. Then again, she's the only girl that his father remotely approves of. They were, after all, friends since childhood.

 

          Relationship status aside, he really wanted to meet the lady who rescued him again. He wondered how he could meet her, if there even was a next time. Maybe he could actively search for her in his costume. Maybe with a few modifications to it, he could look a little less recognizable but still him. He wondered what kind of sweets the girl liked or what she was like. She was like a heroine from a comic book or like sailor moon.

 

          Okay, she wasn’t sailor moon it was more like a gender-bent version of sailor moon where she's Damien and he's Usagi. Well, since he's not as clumsy as Usagi, maybe he's sailor Pluto; distant and maybe a little lonely. His popularity basically puts him on a pedestal and everyone is intimidated by it. It's hard to make friends when you’re on top 5 on the list of "models I’d like to fuck" as well as almost every single newspaper produced by Parsitonne. He blamed the gigantic pile of paparazzi in front of his house’s gate.

 

          Adrien scoffed at the irony and almost inhaled a lungful of soapy water. He then decided that he should probably get up from the water since his hands were getting prune-y. His father would probably end up hearing about this. He scrambled for his bathrobe, which Angela picked up from where he carelessly dumped it and handed over to him, and put it on himself while he stood up from the bathtub. Angela was holding the towel on her arm and motioning him to lie down on the bed with his face down. He took the towel and thanked her.

 

          "I'll turn away while you uh... make yourself comfortable. Tell me if you want to start." She stated, Adrien nodded before she turned away. As she minded her own business, Adrien stripped down to nothing but his birthday suit. "Dang, its cold..." he muttered under his breath as he lied down on the massage table. “Okay, I’m ready." He said and his masseuse faced him. He put his hands under the pillow as Angela's warm hands trailed his back.

 

          It was... surreal to say the least. It hurt a lot at first, he almost had to bite the pillow to prevent screaming and disturbing others next to his room. The masseuse kept pressing down on the aching parts of him. It wasn’t a very delightful feeling but that was before he got used to it. He slowly began to relax and become less tense, however, as time went on. He was actually beginning to enjoy the experience. Though it was really embarrassing when he was asked to face up, he did as he was told. The entire thing was absolutely pleasurable. After all, his masseuse knew exactly where to apply pressure when he needed it

 

          "Angela, how are you so good at this...?" He groaned as he began to unwind. Angela bit back a laugh at her customer's comment. "It's because I am one of the most experienced people in this spa. Normally, you'll need a reservation but being the mayor's daughter's boyfriend has its perks." She explained while rubbing her hands for heat before continuing the massage.

 

          "Wait. So you seriously don’t know me other than Chloe's boyfriend?" Adrien asked, opening an eye. "I try not to get personal with my clients, Chloe is an exception. I do know you're Adrien Agreste, however." She replied curtly. Adrien let out a sound of contempt and opened his other eye. "So... what does Chloe usually order or do here?" Adrien asked the masseuse.

 

          "Well, she usually takes a lavender bath for around an hour or so before a massage. After that, she likes to get her nails done. It usually takes around 2-3 hours, tops." Angela described the entire schedule and noticed Adrien's eyes lighting up when she mentioned nails. "Could I... maybe... get my nails done as well?" He asked sheepishly as Angela raised an eyebrow. A few tense seconds passed before Angela shrugged.

 

          "Don’t see why not."

 

          When they finally met at the entrance, Chloe showed off her nails. They were gold with black decals. He assumed they must be hand-painted since Angela did his with a toothpick, nail polish and determination. "Those look lovely, Chloe!" He remarked as she absolutely beamed. "Did you get yours done as well?" She asked in reply, curious since he was hiding his hands.

 

          "See for yourself..." He replied as he showed her his expertly-done nails. Chloe looked flabbergasted; she didn’t expect him to actually paint his nails but was astounded even more so by the result. His nails were alternating black and glow in the dark with stairs painted in the other color. "No fair, Adrikins! My boyfriend isn't supposed to have cuter nails than I do!" Chloe teased while Adrien blushed a light scarlet and chuckled nervously.

 

          When the day was over he immediately flopped down on Felix’s favorite couch, photo shoots be damned, and groaned. It was tiring spending the day with Chloe. Sure she was fun and all but spending an entire day with her was taxing. They went to a lot of places; the park, the amusement park, the Eiffel tower, and any other cliché romance film sets. There was a lot of moving and he didn’t think he could handle it anymore. It was fun, though. He actually got to sightsee and Chloe had fun so it’s like two birds with one stone. He slowly fell into a deep sleep, almost forgetting the fact that tomorrow was a Monday.

 

          Almost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so uh, should i add transitioning to my works? because sometimes it doesn't flow well and it takes you to different places like a cutscene. please answer, thank you!


	7. A Stroke of Luck

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, remember when i said that i wouldn't update this in the other fic? yyeeeaaahhh... procrastination happened. Don't worry, i'll update 14DoS soon. I hope you all enjoy this chapter from the really, really long break i had to take!

          Marinette woke up, yawning as she smelled the scent of a wet alley. It wasn't a very pleasant way to wake up but living in an alley for a year or so dulls your sensitivity to the scent. She unwrapped the covers, slightly damp from the downpour last night. Near her lap, she found the curious-looking teapot. She let out a sound of curiosity as she held it up to see how well-made it actually was. "It's kind of dirty…" she muttered to herself as she strayed her gaze from the pot to find a clean spot of sheet to wipe the dirt off. The dusty sheets were probably the reason why it was dirty, not to mention the mud caked all over her from running away last night. She sighed and decided that her shirt will have to do.

          She breathed on the pot before wiping it with her shirt's hem, the jacket's cloth wasn't the right material after all. It began to glow a faint pink sheen, making her quirk an eyebrow but she didn't dare question it. She didn't think she could stop rubbing the pot, it was like she was under some sort of cleaning spell. She stopped polishing and dropped it abruptly as soon as it began to heat up and emit a warm red glow. It fell on the lumpy mattress and smoke began to rise from the spout. Marinette could only stare in fear and awe as the smoke began to form a shape. She did not dare interrupt for curiosity overcame her senses.

          The mist began to take form of a small ball of a sort, with black dots. The small ball eventually grew a body, arms, legs, and… antennae?

          " _Okay, this is starting to get weird..._ " she thought to herself, as if the glowing pot didn't clue her in on that. The smoke began to solidify and disperse, revealing a red creature with black spots all over it. It yawned a bit, stretching its arms and legs while Marinette stared at it in amazement. It opened its eyes, blinking once or twice before smiling at the girl.

          "Hello!" The creature said in a feminine voice, making Marinette assume that the creature was a girl. "H… Hello." She replied, still staring at the creature as it appeared to be sitting on the air itself. "I'm Tikki! What's your name?" The crea-Tikki asked, looking eager. Marinette was taken aback and replied softly.

          "I'm... I'm Marinette."

          Tikki nodded in understanding and began taking in her surroundings by floating all over the place. By what she can tell it seems to be some sort of narrow hiding place, not fit for living in. She looked back at her owner and observed how dirty and a little unruly she looked. Not to mention, there was something about her that looked broken. Of course, Tikki was only summoned when the owner of the pot she lived in was in trouble or in need but she didn't expect something like this. In this case, it was both. She had a few cases of both trouble and need but they weren't usually this sorry-looking. She was snapped out from her musings by a question she didn't hear until the last syllable.

          "I'm sorry, Marinette, I wasn't listening. What did you say?"

          "I asked... uhm... what are you, e-exactly?" Marinette reiterated, looking off to the ground in embarrassment. "I'm sorry if that sounded offensive or anything it's just that... well... its not everyday I see something like you!" She mumbled on before hearing a lighthearted giggle from Tikki. "It's alright, i get that a lot. To answer your question, well... I'm a genie." She replied with a smile.

          "I thought genies come from Lamps, not from Pots..." Marinette wondered out loud, staring in wonder at the pot on her lap before putting it aside. Tikki thought for a moment before explaining things to her owner.

          "Technically, yeah, but genies can stay in anything that can contain them, I just happened to be contained in a pot. Some genies get contained in brooches or rings, though, so literal containers don't count... Does that make any sense?" Tikki asked while Marinette processed everything. This was a lot to take in, after all. "I-I think so…" she answered with a little hesitance. Tikki seemed to be satisfied with this answer and decided to get straight to the point.

          "So! Do you want anything in particular? Anything at all?"

          Marinette almost hesitated to answer. "No, not really. Unless... Can you bring my mom and my dad back?" She asked, a spark of hope igniting in her for the first time in what felt like ages. "Your parents...? Where are they?" Tikki asked, sitting down on Marinette's lap. Marinette carefully scooped the genie up using her two cupped hands, the genie sat on the middle as daintily as a palm-sized entity could.

          "They're kind of... not here anymore."

          "What do you mean by th-oh. Oh. I'm so sorry, Marinette" The genie whispered, covering her own lips with tiny paws. Marinette shook her head as she gently lifted the genie towards her.

          "It's fine, it happened a long time ago. Around a year ago, I think? It's hard to keep track of time when you're always on the run so i don't usually bother." She said, waving it off with an apologetic face. Tikki was having none of it, however. She could sense the aura of sadness her owner was giving off.

          "Still, I'm very sorry. Both for your loss and your wish. See, I can't do that... it's against the rules" Tikki said kindly, bowing humbly as if she was ashamed. This intrigued the thief, causing her to wonder what sort of rules genies have. "You have rules?" Marinette asked, quirking a brow.

          Tikki perked up, stared at her owner, and nodded.

          "No bringing back of the dead, no murder, and no making people fall in love." She listed as-a-matter-of-factly while her owner took note. " _Huh... the more you know._ " Marinette thought to herself. The genie gently floated from her cupped fingers and placed a tiny paw on her cheek as a gesture of comforting. "Cheer up, Marinette. Even if they aren't here anymore, I'm sure they would've wanted you to be happy at least." Tikki reassured her. "Y-yeah. You're right. You have a point." Marinette admitted, placing her hands on her lap. The two sat in silence before Tikki spoke up in order to keep the tension from thickening.

          "Do you have any other wish?" She asked, smiling slightly. Marinette thought about it, knowing exactly what other wish she had no matter how embarrassing it may be.

          "Well, there is one other thing..."

          "What is it?" Tikki asked, looking absolutely excited to know. Marinette sighed nervously and stared down shyly. Tikki floated down and sat down on the sheets again, patiently staring up at Marinette. "Do you maybe... do you think i could wish to be a fashion designer?" Marinette mumbled, twiddling her fingers nervously. It was an embarrassing thing for her to request. She probably should've just wished for a good job or something practical, not-

          "Of course you could! Why do you ask?" Tikki said, breaking her out of her mulling. She unsuccessfully fought back the tears that began to well in her eyes. "Well, I've always dreamed of being one. Ever since I was small, I've always admired the clothes I saw on TV or on display. I always thought there was something fascinating and magical about the whole thing. Kinda silly, huh? A street urchin becoming a designer..." She said, in between sobs and wiping away the tears that wouldn't stop. Tikki looked upset and floated up to her, gently patting the teen's cheek. She calmly shushed the teen, effectively calming her down.

          "Shh, don't cry. I think it's wonderful." Tikki stated, smiling warmly while Marinette began to wonder. "...Why?" Marinette sniffled, wiping away her snot using her long sleeved shirt. "Because you never gave up on that dream. Tell me, do you honestly want that dream to come true?" Tikki asked her in a kind and understanding tone. Marinette wanted to say no. She felt like she needed to say no. But deep down, she knew that she really wanted this. "Yes. With all my heart." She spoke, the slight tremble in her voice disappearing as something else took its place. Something akin to the feeling of when she had to pull a heist, the feeling known as determination.

          "Ask for it, then."

          "I wish... i wish to become a fashion designer!" She said with conviction, closing her eyes for a bit before opening them in time to see the spectacle before her and rendering her speechless.

          Tikki dissolved into a ball once more, rising up above Marinette. The ball that used to be Tikki began to spin around, as if it was a yo-yo. A bright white light began to emit from it, causing Marinette to squint her eyes while she was staring at it. It suddenly dissolved into something that seemed like a trail of ladybugs, the fluttering of wings being far too noticeable. They swarmed into a strange ball, the buzzing becoming louder. Suddenly, there was silence as the Ladybugs disappeared into smoke and a rectangular object fell down onto the dirty sheets. Marinette stared at it for a bit before picking it up gingerly. The smoke reformed into the ball which was slowly reforming as Tikki while Marinette observed the object. She's seen it many, many times but she never had one of her own after the incident. It took too much space and money to afford. Besides, she never actually needed it.

          "What is this? A... A sketchpad?" She asked, mostly to herself. Tikki yawned, looking a little tired from the magic she cast. She quickly perked up and floated towards the notebook. "I think so... look, there's even a small mechanical pencil attached to it!" She pointed out as Marinette took it and quickly returned it into its proper place. "So uh... what do i do with this?" Marinette asked, staring at Tikki. Tikki seemed to be contemplating something while staring down at the pad. "Maybe you should try it out! It always helps to get practice done." She suggested, a shine in her mostly pure-blue eyes.

          "Am i a fashion designer now?" Marinette asked, trying not to smile. Tikki averted her owner's gaze and scratched the back of her head while chucking nervously. "Not... exactly." She replied as Marinette tried to not look disappointed. "...Why not?" Marinette wondered out loud as Tikki began to float.

          "Well, it's true magic can give you many opportunities but..."

          "My magic has a tendency to give people what they need to achieve their wish, rather than what they immediately want... but it's guaranteed that the wish comes true." Tikki explained rather sheepishly, staring at the ground and twisting her foot. Marinette stared at the sketchpad in silence, processing everything. The tears began to well up again but they were of a different nature this time. Rather than shame or sadness, they felt far lighter.

          "Are you mad...?" Tikki fearfully asked, breaking Marinette out of her stupor. "N-no, i'm not. I... I'm just so... delirious I-I cant believe this is actually happening I-" Marinette answered, She sighed in relief before laughing joyously while tears of relief streamed down her face. The feeling was euphoric, as if a weight had been lifted off her chest or like things could get better. As if she was given a chance to make things better. What was the word again?

          Hope.

          After all those months, she knew what it felt like to have hope again.

          "Do you want me to pinch you?" Tikki offered, a little worried about the entire crying-while-laughing of her owner. "Yes please." Marinette answered, followed by a yelp as Tikki pinched her hard. After she wiped away her tears and calmed herself down, She stared at the sketchpad in her hands.

          "So... draw, huh?" Marinette asked, fiddling with the pad. The pages were a delicate shade of cream, sort of like bond paper but more professional-looking. She could smell the scent of fresh paper as she flipped the pages back and fourth. "Yep! Do you want to go somewhere else?" Tikki cheered, tilting her head curiously. Marinette stared around the bleak alley, her gaze dropping to her bag and the pot. "Well, it's about time i find a new place to go to... not to mention, an alley isn't exactly the best place to get inspiration." She trailed as she began to stuff the pot inside her bag and the sketchbook along with it. Tikki frowned, crossing her arms. "Hm... Where do you suppose we start, then?" She asked while Marinette was busy packing up her things inside the red and black bag. Marinette paused for a while, thinking of a great place to get inspiration.

          "The park, I guess. It's vibrant. The colors inspire me... not to mention, you meet different people with different fashions so it seems like a good place to start." She declared, daring to smile. Tikki agreed with the suggestion, eager to know more about the park. Besides, she wanted to know about how much has changed ever since she left the house. Her previous owner didn't want her to get out of the old house or to set her free, not like she didn't blame her owner. Setting free a genie means you don't get another wish, after all. A park seemed to be someplace in the outside world, a definite pro to her situation. Besides, a bit of fresh air and space to spread her arms would be nice.

          "Then, to the park?"

          "To the park."


	8. Miraculous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been so long, huh?
> 
> Over the past few months, ive been trying to get in-touch with how i write. It's so strange to look at a fanfiction you've started a few months ago only to realize you dont write like that anymore. Still, i suppose i owe you all an apology for being so horridly late with this.
> 
> Perhaps sometime soon i'll go and remake the chapters i've posted but not without updating and reminding myself how i planned on writing this thing. The following chapters are mostly just drafts and i'm planning on changing them whenever i have the time.
> 
> In the meantime, i hope you all forgive a novice writer's early mistakes. Criticism is welcomed so please, don't be shy in telling me what i need to work up on!

"Do you need any help with that, Marinette?" Tikki asked, floating above Marinette's shoulder. They both were on the fountain, with Tikki looking around and Marinette sitting on the edge and drawing. She shook her head to answer the question. "It's fine, Tikki. I can handle it." She replied, wiping the sweat off her brow as she sighed in frustration. She suddenly perked up and faced Tikki. "Shouldn't you be hiding?" Marinette whispered, looking side to side for people who might be looking at her weirdly. Tikki giggled, floating to look at Marinette.

"It's okay! I look like a ladybug to passersby. It would be bothersome if people kept staring at a genie's owner you know…" she replied while Marinette smiled. "Thats nice to know." She said, sighing in relief before returning to drawing in the spotted notebook. She was so absorbed in drawing that she didn't notice Tikki silently slip away from her shoulder in order to explore.

Gabriel Agreste was out for a walk that day, in a disguise so plain that nobody could recognise tat he was the most famous fashion designer in the world. After all, there were no apointments at the current moment considering his son's girlfriend managed to weasel his way out of a photoshoot. He didnt feel like sitting in a stuffy office and he needed inspiration for his next fashion line. Maybe even to think about the entire fashion business of his. He wasnt getting any younger after all and his youngest son was more or less suited better for the modeling industry. His older son… he didnt want to think about it. Besides, He didnt want to call it quits just yet.

He wandered around, stopping every once in a while to take note of many things. Things such as how bright the sun was against his glasses or how the butterfly flutters from flower to flower. It helps him when he needs to think of designs for his costumes. A textile shop would have been his first choice if he wasnt getting sick of being indoors.

Tikki flew around, deeply inhaling the aroma of the flowers below her. Nobody cared to harm her or to capture her for fear of bad luck which was, well, lucky for her. They did, however, take notice of her and secretly hoped for the luck that ladybugs often brought along with them.

It had been so long since she was freed from her pot. The world had changed drastically in such a short amount of time. In fact, the last time she saw the world was when eveything was being remade after a terrible disaster. Terrible disaster being bombings and other horrid things.

She marvelled at everything. From the old Eiffel Tower to the new strange squares that humans often talked to or stared at. She flew around the park, looking down at the different types of people. They were different in many ways, from skin color to hair color to clothing. It was so exhilarating and amazing, to be free again even just for a while. She forgot that she had an owner to get back to.

"Done." Marinette sighed, pleased wih her work. She felt very accomplished. Then again, it was probably the excitement from earlier creeping into her veins that made her finish faster than usual. "Tikki, take a look." She whispered with glee, looking over to the shoulder where Tikki was sitting a while ago only to find that the genie had disappeared.

"Tikki…?" She asked to nobody in particular, slowly standing up from the fountain in order to look for the genie. "Tikki?" She called again, a little louder, and hoped that Tikki might answer. When that didnt work, she began to look around the park with her sketchbook in hand. She didnt notice that the binder began to magically loosen itself slightly in her search for her companion.

Gabriel Agreste took notice of a ladybug that seemed to be lazily fluttering around. It seemed to be sightseeing. It was an amusing sight, not to mention an omen of luck. He wasn't superstitious but it didn't hurt to believe in it every now and then. "Maybe if i follow it, it'll bring me to something inspirational…" he thought inwardly as he slowly walked along the road. He didn't want to step on the grass, it was freshly cut and grass stains are really annoying to have on a fashionable pair of pants, woolen socks, and high-quality shoes.

At least, he was following the ladybug until a girl bumped into him.

"Ah! My papers!" Marinette cried, kneeling down to pick them up frantically. The man she bumped into knelt down as well to help her. Once she got most of them stuffed into her sketchbook, she stood up and immediately apologized profusely. She barely noticed Tikki fly into her bag, taking advantage of the hectic situation to not get spotted.

"I'm really really sorry for bumping into you! I was looking for something and i didn't know that my papers were loose and-"

"Young Lady, did you do all this?" Gabriel interrupted her apologizing, too absorbed in his thoughts for simple apologies. The papers he held in his hand were a little amateurish but they were impressive, nonetheless. There were sketches of dresses and hats, of suits and ties; It was marvelous. He liked the bowler hat one, the creative use of feathers were something fresh. The designs had style worthy of even his own designs.

The girl nodded shyly, cracking a rare smile from him. The girl had raw talent. Given proper guidance and education, she could make it big in the fashion industry. He could feel the gears turning in his head as he considered taking her under his wing. "This might just work…" he thought to himself while the two of them stood up.

"Did you go to an art college, somewhere?" He asked, hoping to get some clue about the girl's education.

"Uh, no. I was self-taught. I didn't have the chance to go to college…" she answered, looking off to the side as if she was reliving some painful memories.

"Hm… do you want to go to college?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Why are you asking…?" She asked him, looking a slight skeptical. In the midst of his excitement, he forgot that he was a complete stranger to this young lady. He mentally hit himself for acting like what his child's friend would say 'a creep'.

"Right. Sorry. I was going to offer a scholarship but it seems like it's not proper at the moment, no?" He apologized while the girl nodded in agreement. It would probably be better if they talked minus his disguise but he can't risk it. Not to mention, there would be very... _disturbing_ implications if he invited her to his house in order to talk properly. He decided that there was only one way to do this without looking like 'a total creep machine'.

He took out a plain-looking business card from his pocket, and folded it in his half so people who like to snoop won't alert the media or ask for autographs.

"Well, contact me any time if you feel interested, then. Don't show it to anyone else." He said, leaving her his folded business card, before leaving to go to a building and answer the calls he muted while he took a walk. He was a little nervous yet he felt very accomplished in the short hour. After all, something practically miraculous happened.

Gabriel Agreste had found himself an apprentice at last.

Marinette stared at the strange man as he walled away while talking to his phone. Then she stared at the folded card in her hands. She stuffed it into her pocket, making sure it was safe and hidden. She had a hunch that it was better to leave the park so she took off into the nearest alleyway before climbing onto the rooftops. It was pretty windy so she was sure that it might be a bad idea to open it here.

She pulled out the card, staring down while wondering what was so important about it. Slightly overtaken by her curiosity, she ignored her common sense to open the folded up card. It didn't matter, she was lucky nevertheless.

She almost dropped it in shock.

Almost.

Tikki floated beside her, chattering something about the world improving and stuff, before noticing that she wasn't moving at all and was just staring at the card with wide, unbelieveing eyes. "Marinette? Are you okay?" She asked, poking the girl's cheek.

"No way…" She muttered in disbelief, half-entranced by the earlier occurrence. Tikki stared at her, a little scared but mostly confused.

"No. Way." She muttered again, accidentally biting her tongue. At least now she knew it wasn't a dream.

"Tikki. Tikki, do you know who i just talked to?" She asked, almost in a hushed whisper. Tikki frowned as if she was deep in thought.

"Hm… an old guy?"

"No! Well, he sort of is… but he isnt just ANY old guy, he's Gabriel Agreste!"

"Who?"

"Only the most famous fashion designer in all of history! His designs are the best; not to mention the fact that the entire world admires him. I cant believe i actually got to meet him! And by accident!"

"That's great!"

"And you know what?"

"He offered me a scholarship! A scholarship, Tikki!"

"That's great and all but dont you need a phone to contact him?" Tikki asked, bring the overly-ecstatic girl back to earth.

"Youre right… Maybe i could ask Alya for help." Marinette mused, preparing herself in order to jump to Alya's apartment.

"You had help all along?" Tikki asked, looking a little mad.

"Well, yeah, i guess."

"Then why didnt you tell her about your living conditions?"

"I didnt want her to fuss over me! Besides, i'll just be a burden on her…"

"Who said that?"

"Nobody. I just…"

"Listen, Tikki… do you want to know why i steal?"

"I just assumed you grew up in the streets."

"Me? Nah, i just adapted quickly." Marinette said, waving it off. She took a sigh and her face grew sterner.

"Let me start where everything was simpler…" 


End file.
